You may think of holidays as being only for people who enjoy good health or who can easily carry with them their supply of medication to keep their heartburn under control, their blood pressure nice and low, or even their blood sugars within an optimal range in the case of diabetics. But people do live long lives with serious chronic diseases, such as COPD, severe asthma, heart failure (which is not, as the name implies, an event, but rather a lengthy and slow decline, which can, these days, be very well managed for the most part) or cystic fibrosis which is often managed using oxygen therapy: as are most of these conditions. Awareness is growing that these people want to live full and happy lives in which they take part in activities, visit important sites and landmarks and, of course, go on holiday. But you cannot simply dash off on a whim when your life depends on your access to oxygen tanks. Not only is it unlikely that you would be able to simply transport your oxygen tanks without prebooking them in, but you are also highly unlikely to be able to find new supplies should something go awry when you travel.

And people with all the conditions named above, among many others, do need their oxygen to be ready and available as soon as it is needed – and this need can be exacerbated by flying and being subjected pressurised cabins with (potentially) lower oxygen levels – this is fine for perfectly healthy people, but can worsen COPD and other respiratory illnesses. Informing the airline of your needs before you travel can get you access to the aeroplane’s oxygen supply and you can be provided with the supplementary air you require, but this still doesn’t help you once you’ve landed and are trying to get to grips with a new country, and all that comes with it (different language, different weather, different customs and regulations, different food and so on) and begin to run out of whatever oxygen supplies you have been given to tide you over with no idea of where to source more, and how to ask for it should you find the right place!

This is where OxygenWorldwide comes into its own, helping travellers in need of oxygen receive the supplies they need in a timely and reliable manner. Let’s have a look at how you can get started with accessing oxygen abroad.

Plan Ahead

This is crucial if you are to receive the supplies you need as and when you need them.

Firstly, book your holiday months in advance of you actually travelling if this will be your first holiday abroad. Learning all the ins and outs of modern travel is hard enough without doing it in a rush and trying to organise a supply of oxygen tanks to tie into each destination on your way! Consult your doctor too, letting them know where you are going, for how long, and ask them questions about whether any vaccines are needed, and if so what for, how long before you travel you should get them done, and if there will be any side effects. You should also consult them on your oxygen supplies while you are away: how much will you need, how big or bulky is the container, and is it possible to get smaller oxygen tanks for discreet use while on coach tours or other excursions.

Ask your doctor and also do your own research about what medical letters or prescriptions you need to take with you – make sure you have legal paperwork to back up your medications and oxygen. It is not worth risking your life or your health by having your vitally needed belongings confiscated by an over-zealous border official.

Understand Your Oxygen Options

You can take advantage of a series of innovations in the world of oxygen therapy to mix and match your travel oxygen equipment to meet your differing needs, depending on what you are doing at the time: from chilling in your hotel room or lounging on the beach to exploring the destination country by bus or train or even wandering around museums and art galleries. Let’s have a look at what is available when it comes to oxygen for travel

  • Medical Liquid Oxygen (LOX): come with a portable tank and what is called a ‘flask’. In essence, you fill the flask from the tank, and you’re good to do for as long as that supply lasts. Do remember to allow for refilling time, if needed, and don’t go out with just the flask – the oxygen tank is designed for use as holiday oxygen and is readily portable in a specially designed carrier. Some airlines and other public transport will allow the use of these devices by passengers, but make sure you check before you buy your ticket!
  • Concentrators: An oxygen concentrator is an ingenious device that lets you convert the air all around you from about 20% oxygen to pure oxygen (running at about 90 to 95% pure). They work by filtering air particles, trapping the larger nitrogen particles and only allowing the tiny oxygen particles to enter the oxygen concentrator, where they are stored until you need them. Concentrators come in two types: large, static versions, or smaller portable options, the latter of which are battery fuelled, so you can get out and about without becoming distressed or short of breath.
  • Cylinders: Carrying an immense amount of pressurised oxygen, oxygen cylinders are a popular choice for travellers who rely on having a good amount of oxygen at their disposal: for example, overnight. Cylinders can be huge, running up to 4,300 litres of oxygen (although these are usually found in a medical establishment rather than a private home. Most personal use oxygen cylinders hold about 570 litres of oxygen. Once you know your itinerary, you can arrange to have cylinders to be delivered and collected once used at each of the destinations along the way so that you will always be able to access oxygen when you need it.
  • Small Cylinders: As the name suggests, these are just like the bigger versions, just… smaller. These smaller cylinders are ideal for travellers as they are much easier to carry about, store on public transport and generally are more discreet to use while out and about. The very smallest cylinders hold enough oxygen for a couple of hours, depending on how much you use, making them ideal for short visits to, for example, a restaurant or the cinema.
  • CPAP Machines and Other Support Devices: These machines are all quite similar to oxygen concentrators in that they capture the air around you and pressurise it slightly to provide continuous airflow into your lungs. Many of these are readily accepted on air flights and in hotel rooms, but it is possibly easier to arrange to have a machine delivered to your hotel room on the day that you arrive so your vacation oxygen is ready and waiting for you on arrival.

Oxygen Delivery at Your Destination

As stated above, you should begin planning for your supply of holiday oxygen as soon as you decide to travel, and this includes using OxygenWorldwide for all your vacation oxygen needs. Let us know when you will be travelling and how much oxygen you require. Bear in mind, however, that we cannot refill third-party oxygen containers. But, saving that, we can deliver oxygen worldwide, as our name proudly suggests – but we do need plenty of notice to be sure of setting up the supply line in good time for your arrival. And we can meet you right off the plane, if that is what you need us to do. If you want to travel to multiple destinations – a sort of grand tour – that is absolutely fine too: simply let us know all your travel arrangements and we will work out the logistics to keep you supplied with the oxygen you need.

FAQs

How much will this cost me?

We cannot give a ‘ballpark’ estimate for your supply of oxygen. Contact us and we will provide a free quotation tailored to your personal needs.

What happens if something goes wrong, especially at night on a weekend?

Don’t worry. We have an emergency telephone line that is monitored 24/7: just ring us up whenever you need to and we will leap into action to assist you.

What if I stay on holiday longer, or want to leave early?

Let us know your changed plans as soon as possible, and we will work with you to keep you breathing easily.

To conclude, it is perfectly possible to travel for pleasure with a medical condition that requires the use of oxygen. Using our services will ensure that you can focus on the sights, sounds and souvenirs of your holiday destination, instead of fretting about your supply of essential oxygen: give us a call or drop us an email or use our form and see how well we can tailor our services to your unique needs.